Advances already made or in the pipeline for Onehunga have fuelled the suburb with exciting potential, says Colliers National Director of Residential Project Marketing, Pete Evans.

“I can see Onehunga becoming the type of truly electric, colourful, vibrant community that Brunswick Street in Fitzroy in Melbourne has become,” he says.

“Onehunga was a thriving port suburb from the 1800s with a CBD-style main street designed with town planning principles front of mind.”

But then Auckland City’s port, rather than Onehunga’s, became the focus.

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Now continuing advances such as electric trains, improved public spaces and the opening of the Waterview tunnel are propelling Onehunga forwards.

Evans says: “Onehunga has become like the type of giant you find in Gulliver’s Travels, with everyone tickling away at it its edges - Government with infrastructure development, developers with new housing offerings.

“But even though Onehunga has already changed quite a lot in the last few years, I believe it’s going to jump up and get going even more.”

He believes future development of Onehunga Wharf will cement progress and can envisage it becoming an alternate destination to Wynyard Quarter, drawing people from across Auckland with weekend markets or Sunday afternoon jazz by the water.

He says: “Onehunga’s residential property values have been holding because of all these improvements, compared to other suburbs which just fluctuate with the property cycle.”

One of the suburb’s new developments is Onehunga Bay Terraces, only 200m from Onehunga Bay Reserve.

Construction is well under way on six buildings which will offer 38 three-bedroom terrace houses priced from $850,000 plus six one-bedroom apartments priced from $510,000 (subject to Special Housing Authority terms and conditions).

The first two buildings are nearly at lock-up stage with exteriors almost complete while the other four will soon have framing and roofing finished. Evans says the first residents are scheduled to move in in July 2019 after completion of three months’ landscaping including a central pocket park.

Experienced property developer Avanda Group created Onehunga Bay Terraces site on the corner or Church Street and George Terrace by buying five semi-industrial properties.

Nearby, just beyond Onehunga Bay Reserve with its little lake, is seaside Taumanu Reserve where greenery with walking and cycling tracks neighbours Onehunga’s reclaimed beach.

Situated just to the west of Onehunga Mall, thefuture residents of Onehunga Bay Terraces will be walking distance to the trainstation, eateries, Dress Smart and local schools. They’re 10 minutes’ drivefrom Auckland Airport or 25 minutes off-peak to Auckland CBD.

All three-level, three-bedroom, two-bathroom freehold terrace houses will have a single internal-access garage plus one open-air car park. The upper levels incorporate partially raised ceiling heights, with ceilings extending up into the roofline achieving a height of nearly four metres to embrace sun from the north.

These 138-144sqm freehold townhouses all have balconies plus courtyards and their own 88-155sqm of land. Most of the six 57-58sqm one-bedroom apartments have balconies and they have an option to purchase an open-air car park.

Architecture design practice Creative Arch designed the buildings primarily in concrete combined with bricks and powder-coated aluminium panels, accented with louvers and aluminium screens between balconies. Duo Design’s interior design includes kitchens with stone bench-tops and Fisher & Paykel appliances.

Onehunga’s retail scene has been improving as light industrial properties transform into mixed use-residential and new residents expect quality cafes, bars and shops. Evans says four new Onehunga housing developments under way are all in the in-demand affordable-to-mid category of the market but focus on differing formats from low-level apartments to terrace houses to larger scale apartment blocks.

Onehunga Business Association President Peter Gibson was delighted three years ago when Auckland Council named Onehunga as one of their main transformative locations. He lobbied for the redevelopment of Onehunga’s foreshore, the first stage of which was completed in 2015.

“It’s been hugely popular. I live nearby and there are people there night and day, walking through the reserve, cycling or just sitting and watching the sunset.”

He says Onehunga Wharf’s future development will further boost the suburb, hopeful it will emulate the drawcard combination of cafes, culture, history and fishing industry seen in successful Canadian Vancouver community Granville Island.

Auckland Council announced its purchase of the wharf in July, with developed expected up to five years away. Their vision is to transform it into a new community which retains its seafaring history and spirit with cafes, retail, public space and homes.

SALES ENQUIRIES: Sherryl Todd mob 021 222 6308, Colliers.

DISPLAY SUITE: Located at 22 George Terrace Onehunga; open Thurs/Fri 12pm – 2pm, Sat/Sun 12pm – 4pm.

ON THE WEB: www.onehungabayterraces.co.nz